A bar association is a professional association of lawyers as generally organized in countries following the Anglo-American types of jurisprudence. The word bar is derived from the old English/European custom of using a physical railing to separate the area in which court business is done from the viewing area for the general public.
Sign outside the Massachusetts Bar Association in Boston, Massachusetts
A lawyer is a person who practices law. The role of a lawyer varies greatly, across different legal jurisdictions. A lawyer can be classified as an advocate, attorney, barrister, canon lawyer, civil law notary, counsel, solicitor, legal executive, and public servant. — with each role having different functions and privileges. Working as a lawyer generally involves the practical application of abstract legal theories and knowledge to solve specific problems. Some lawyers also work primarily in advancing the interests of the law and legal profession.
Helena Normanton in English court dress, c. 1950
Law Faculty of Comenius University in Bratislava (Slovakia)
Clara Shortridge Foltz, admitted to the California Bar through an examination before attending law school
U.S. President Abraham Lincoln is a famous example of a lawyer who became a politician.